The Calabar zone of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has stressed the need for Journalists in the country to be objective while reporting the ongoing strike by the union.

The Chairman of ASUU in the University of Calabar (UNICAL),  Dr. James Okpiliya, stated this in Calabar when some leaders of Union from the zone paid a condolence visit to the Cross River Council of the NUJ.

Okpiliya stressed that although the media had done well in reporting the face-off, some of them have not been objective, and called on journalists to balance their stories before going to press.

He stated that some journalists did not know the real reason why ASUU was on strike, adding that some programmes especially in government media have made a mockery of the good intentions of the union.

The chairman said that the union was in the press centre to show solidarity and sympathy to the state council and the entire NUJ in Nigeria over the death of three journalists last week.

The ASUU chieftain described the death of the journalists as shocking and prayed for the repose of their souls.

Responding, the state Chairman of NUJ, Comrade Ndoma Akpet, commended ASUU for the solidarity visit, adding that it would strengthen the existing relationship with the media in the state.

Comrad Akpet said that the lingering industrial dispute between the union and government was taken its toll on many parents, and appealed to the two parties to return to the negotiating table.

Also speaking, the NUJ National Trustee, South-South zone, Mr. Samuel Egbala, thanked ASUU for the visit, adding that the NUJ National Secretariat appreciated their solidarity and sympathy over the death of our colleagues.

Egbala further called for continued bond between ASUU and NUJ, noting that both complements each other.